VHS COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS

VHS COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS The following descriptions are designed to aid you in selecting and completing your area of service as a member of Valley Home Schoolers, Inc. and to help you become familiar with the types of programs offered. Please remember that these are only general descriptions. Note also that not all items listed will take place. If no one volunteers to coordinate an event and there are not enough committee members it will not happen. After this introduction you will find a table of opportunities listing the committees/positions available. Following that list are descriptions of the various opportunities. The number in parenthesis indicates the number of people needed for the committee. One or two will need to volunteer to coordinate the event or activity. In addition to the following you are welcome and encouraged to submit ideas for your areas of interest or expertise. New ideas are always welcome! Please fill out the New Activity/Event Form if you would like to submit a new idea for the Board to consider. Be sure to choose at least one area of service from the list in case your idea is not approved. As you look through the available opportunities, please keep in mind the following: * Event Coordinators are responsible for working in cooperation with the Board; reporting to the Board on the status of committee operations, functions, decisions, and recommendations; assigning work to the committee members; ensuring committee members have the resources and information needed to do their work; setting the committee agenda where applicable; facilitating meetings; ensuring distribution of meeting minutes and agendas to the Board of Directors, where applicable; and completing and turning in the Coordinator Binder within 15 days of the conclusion of the event. * Committee Members are responsible to help Coordinators plan, set up and clean up the event, and assist the Coordinator however necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the event, club, class, or co-op. * Policies and Procedures will be provided to event Coordinators and Board support is always available. Please don t be afraid to try something new! * If you have any questions regarding any of these opportunities, please post your question on the Ask the Board forum or contact a Board member directly. No question is a dumb question. WINGS Teacher Note: If you desire to teach a WINGS class for your commitment you must teach a one hour, substantive class. Coteaching will not fulfill the membership responsibility. Generally speaking, a substantial class will involve planning and preparation. Final determination will be made by the WINGS committee. For more information, please contact a WINGS committee member. Reading Incentive Coordinators: We are making a change in the way we handle the Read to Succeed (the Great America reading program), Fangs Reading Program, and Noah s Ark Dive Into Reading program coordinators. VHS has a policy that states that a member may not personally benefit from his/her commitment to VHS and each of these opportunities offer an extra ticket to the coordinator; in the case of Noah s Ark it is non-transferable. Therefore, we have decided to collect the names of each person interested in coordinating these programs and hold a drawing. This will not count as your commitment but you will earn an extra ticket if you coordinate. If interested please indicate this in your first choice box along with another commitment choice. You may enter both programs if you are interested in coordinating both. Thank you for partnering with us for another great year of homeschooling! We look forward to working with you to provide support and opportunities as we journey together on this road of teaching and training our children for the glory of God! VHS Board March 2010 1

Administration Support Group Activities Fellowship Outreach Other Calendar Graduation A Year s Worth of Field Trips Christmas Gathering Curriculum Fair FANGS Reading Club Labels for Education Home School Cub Scouts End of Year Picnic Educational Noah s Ark Dive Heart2Heart Resources Sale Into Reading (see note above) Support Group New Member Coordinator IOWA Testing IPOD Teen Group Harvest Party Home School Information Night Picture Daze Newsletter New Member Contact Lego Club Mother/Daughter Tea Spring Showcase Read to Succeed (see note above) Photo Coordinator Rewards Liaison Lego League Park/YMCA Days St. Jude Math-athon Supply Coordinator Seminars Make-It Take-It Valentine Party * Seminars Yearbook PIE Program Prairie Home Ministry WINGS are also outreach events as they are open to nonmembers. ADMINISTRATION Calendar (1): Volunteer is responsible to receive, check, and approve submissions to the VHS calendar, as well as answer questions from members regarding the calendar. Labels for Education (1): Advertise for, collect, and turn in labels for education, such as Box Tops, to help fund VHS programs. New Member Coordinator (1): Responsibilities include answering info@valleyhomeschoolersinc.org emails, receiving new member requests, sending a welcome e-mail, approving membership upon receipt of all membership requirements, posting a welcome message to the VHS General Forum, and passing along the information on new members to the New Member Contacts. Newsletter (1): Volunteer receives information submitted for inclusion in the VHS Newsletter, formats it into a newsletter, posts it on the VHS website and notifies the membership via the VHS General Forum that the newsletter has been published. Photo Coordinator (1): Volunteer will be responsible to solicit and approve photo submissions for the VHS website and keep the home page slide show current to VHS events, changing it every week or two. Supply Coordinator (1): Volunteer will store and keep track of all supplies owned by VHS. This person will also make a list of supplies available to the membership to use for activities and events. Left over supplies will be turned in to this person following an activity or event. March 2010 2

SUPPORT Graduation (3): Work with the current year s graduating seniors and their parents to create a special and memorable graduation ceremony complete with a speaker, musicians, refreshments, and decorations. Graduation takes place in May and formally concludes and celebrates the success of homeschooling for VHS seniors. Home School Heart2Heart (2): Provide opportunities for the membership to gather for monthly on various topics relevant to home schooling. Choose topics and recruit members knowledgeable on those topics in order to provide information and support. We have a wealth of experience and knowledge in our group and this would be a great way to offer the membership the opportunity to glean from one another. IOWA Testing (minimum 1, maximum 6): This testing is available through Bob Jones University Press in May. The Coordinator and all committee members must have a BACHELOR S DEGREE to order and administer the tests. With help from Committee Members, the testing facility will be set up and the tests will be administered according to specific guidelines. New Member Contact (3): Help new members integrate into the group! Receive contact information regarding new members and make phone calls to invite them to events, see how things are going, give an opportunity to ask questions, etc. Rewards Liaison (1): Coordinator solicits area businesses for incentives and coupons for member families. Seminars (4): Plan a seminar or two for the VHS membership on a topic related to home schooling. GROUP ACTIVITIES A Year s Worth of Field Trips AYWOFT (One coordinator, thirteen committee members, three for each age group and one to coordinate a few trips for whole families): This committee plans and promotes field trip opportunities for the various age groups (Pre-K K, Grades 1-2, Grades 3-5; Grades 6-8, HS, Family) throughout the year. Each committee member typically plans and coordinates three field trips each year. Cub Scouts (6): * pending Board approval The Cub Scouts program is open to boys in 1 st through 5 th grade. The 10 purposes of the Cub Scout program are Character Development, Spiritual Growth, Good Citizenship, Sportsmanship and Fitness, Family Understanding, Respectful Relationships, Personal Achievement, Friendly Service, Fun and Adventure, Preparation for Boy Scouts. For more information see http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/cubscouts/leaders/about.aspx I.P.O.D. Teen Group (4): Plan monthly get-togethers for our high school aged members. These can be purely fun or both fun and educational. The important thing is that our teens have an opportunity to build relationships with one another. Lego Club (1): A monthly opportunity for the children to gather together and build with legos, including a time of sharing their creations. While the children build parents fellowship with other parents. A fun, inexpensive, low key night out for the family! Lego League (2 8): Coaches are needed for this great opportunity for VHS students to enhance their home education. According to the First Lego League (FLL) website, FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a global program created to get children excited about science and technology. A hands-on program for ages 9 to 16 (9 to 14 in the U.S. and Canada), FLL uses Challenges based on real world scientific problems to engage children in research, problem solving, and engineering. The cornerstone of the program is its Core Values, which emphasize friendly sportsmanship, learning, and community involvement. (http://www.firstlegoleague.org/what-is-fll/default.aspx?id=164) March 2010 3

Make-It Take-It (12): The highlight of the giving season as children create neat, inexpensive, handcrafted Christmas gifts for family and friends. Plan, shop for, prepare, organize, and present the crafts on a December day on which children are invited to purchase, choose, and make their own Christmas gifts. PIE Program (1): Work in cooperation with the Partner s in Education to bring an exploration of the fine arts to VHS families. The PIE program provides an introduction to the symphony and art and is offered to area schools. To participate, VHS needs someone willing to coordinate with the Partner s in Education folks. Prairie Home Ministry (2): Facilitate gatherings on an every other week basis at an assisted living facility located in Menasha. These gatherings promote multi-generational ministry to and relationship building with the residents through presentations by the kids, hymn singing, devotionals, and opportunity for one on one visitation. These meetings provide the students with opportunities to learn to minister as well as public speaking and performance practice. WINGS (One chair, one treasurer, one secretary, one registration coordinator, one onsite coordinator, at least four teacher coordinators and teachers*): This co-op meets every other Wednesday afternoon for 3 hours, for 6 sessions in the fall and 6 sessions again in the winter/spring in order to provide students an opportunity to develop relationships with other Christian homeschoolers and to participate in cooperative learning. Students are offered a variety of classes to choose from which are grouped by age/grade. Classes taught each semester vary depending on what parents choose to teach and what outside instructors offer our group. The classes are meant to be educational and fun. * Teaching a one hour, substantive class will count toward the fulfillment of your VHS commitment. Generally speaking, a substantive class is one that requires advance preparation and planning and one in which there is one main teacher. Co-teaching will not fulfill the VHS membership responsibility. The Coordinator will make the final determination as to whether or not a class is substantive. FELLOWSHIP Christmas Gathering (4): Facilitate a time for members to come together to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ by singing songs, doing a craft, enjoying food, and having fun together. End of Year Picnic (6): Celebrate a year well done during the month of June! The committee will organize a potluck meal and activities at a park. Good fellowship will cap off a good school year with good old-fashioned fun! Harvest Party (6): Host or choose a location for an afternoon of autumn leaf-jumping fun and fellowship in October complete with games and activities. Mother/Daughter Tea (3): Plan an afternoon for mothers and daughters to come out for encouragement, edification, and fellowship as they strive to grow in godliness. Park/YMCA Days (1): Provide opportunities for parents and children to gather at various parks throughout the Valley (in warm weather) or the YMCA (in cold weather) for conversation, relationship building, and play time. Valentine Party (4): Oversee an anticipated holiday event occurring in February - of course. This is typically a bowling party complete with lunch and a Valentine exchange. March 2010 4

OUTREACH Curriculum Fair (3): Recruit and coordinate presenters/curriculum and provide an opportunity in the spring for current and prospective homeschoolers to view a variety of home schooling curriculum and material without any sales pressure. Provide a great opportunity for both VHS and community members to discover something new or get a hands-on look at something seen in a catalog. Educational Resource Sale (4): Organize an opportunity for homeschoolers to sell what they no longer use and purchase materials for the coming year at a reduced rate. Home School Information Night (4): Host an informative evening for current and prospective homeschoolers. Topics may include testimonials from past and current home school parents, legal requirements, VHS information, and resources - anything helpful to encourage and inform those involved in or contemplating this journey we call home schooling. Spring Showcase (4): Provide an opportunity for children to show off their talents through performance recitals and academic displays in a group setting where grandparents, family members & friends can come see them. OTHER FANGS Reading Club (1): Entice students to read books in exchange for prizes and Timber Rattler tickets! The Coordinator is also responsible for arranging the Family Night at the game. This position will not fulfill membership requirements as the coordinator will receive an extra admission ticket. If interested in this position please see note in introduction. Noah s Ark Dive into Reading (1): Coordinate this opportunity for students grades K 6 to earn tickets to Noah s Ark water park by completing a reading goal set by their parents. This position will not fulfill membership requirements as the coordinator will receive an extra admission ticket. If interested in this position please see note in introduction. Picture Daze (1): Volunteers will help register families for their annual yearbook pictures. Duties include helping coordinate the schedule, assisting in filling out forms, collecting money, and assisting families as they come in to have their children s pictures taken. All pictures will be used in the VHS Yearbook "The Drummer" and families are given an option to purchase photos. Great America Read to Succeed (1): Coordinate this opportunity for students grades K 6 to earn tickets to Six Flags by reading for six hours during a designated time period. This position will not fulfill membership requirements as the coordinator will receive an extra admission ticket. If interested in this position please see note in introduction. St. Jude Math-a-Thon (1): Provide an opportunity for students in grades K-9 to obtain sponsors and complete a fun book or CD program by solving math problems to raise money for St. Jude s Hospital as it strives to treat and research childhood diseases. Yearbook (5): Working on The Drummer provides an opportunity to work with some of our older students to assemble a legacy showcasing school pictures and snapshots of learning in progress and fun happening at VHS events! The club meets monthly with the Coordinators for instruction and work on the VHS yearbook. March 2010 5